
This month, we’ve noticed a surge in attention and energy focused on anticipating when events might take place, and what their outcome could be.
Sometimes anticipation spurs people to prepare or act. Other times, it feels more like gambling without a stake in the game. Of course, elections in Ireland (and abroad) are an obvious example for the present moment, but this mentality extends as much to ordinary anticipation as it does major political turning points. How will the incumbent government work towards addressing the housing crisis? Can we turn the tide on climate disaster? Is AI going to replace our jobs?
Proclamations of a desirable outcome, even if realised, do not forecast actual futures. Even when we might have an inkling, unexpected events or shifts could disrupt and surprise beyond what is currently seen to be possible. While we might never know what’s over the horizon, we can reassess how we anticipate and prepare for it. This month’s Rundale contributors showcase different ways to reposition current thinking about potential futures.
Historian Patrick Doyle reflects on religious critiques of capitalism over a century ago, suggesting there are tools to imagine new approaches to work and dignity that can help us chart a way out of the poly-crisis.
Meanwhile, Seán Fearon argues that we need to develop more desirable visions of Irish reunification, ones that are radical, popular and grounded in socio-economic and ecological realities.
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